A couple weeks passed and the two got into an easy groove of life. Business in the shop picked back up almost too easily for Levi, and he was beginning to drag in clients by what seemed like the boatload. Eren worked when Reiner needed him, and Levi was almost always there at the same time, either tattooing or working on his commissions. He started to improve greatly, apparent to not only the eyes of everyone in the shop (which, on many occasions, included Alex), but people of the outside world, too, and he was starting to get booked up for the entire summer and making loads of money. They all were - even Alex, who started learning to give piercings under her fiancé's capable wing not too long after Levi got out of rehab. Eren helped each of them put together a portfolio and was unofficially 'hired' as the photographer after one of them finished a piece.

On his days off, Eren would visit his mom and continue learning to cook under her wing, or help her with yard work. He'd spend time with his sister, too, who was on summer break and when she wasn't busy volunteering or spending time with her own friends. Eren himself kept in touch with his friends, as well. The semester had ended for all of them and they had the summer off, freeing up their time a bit more.

Reiner made it a point to give Eren time off where Levi had it, too. The raven wasn't allowed to work more than twenty-five hours a week, seeing as he was still recovering and still had a long way to go. He continued therapy, of course, and on the morning of May 18th, he got the call from the rehabilitation center with the results of his bloodwork. The two were in the middle of getting ready for work when his phone rang. Eren had paced anxiously while Levi talked on the phone, easily keeping up a poker face so Eren had no clue as to whether it was good or bad news. Once he hung up, Levi had snatched his hand to stop his pacing.

"Calm down," he said.

"What did they say?" Eren asked anxiously.

"No STDs," he confirmed.

"But?" Eren asked, feeling it was needed.

"I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning to be checked for blood clots and such."

"What is and such?"

"Lung disease, liver disease, infections, et cetera."

Those words only served to amplify Eren's anxiety. Levi's soft lips on his were the sole thing that kept the full on panic attack away, something that baffled Eren. Never had anything been successful in shutting his anxiety down like that until that moment.

"How are you so calm about that?" he asked.

Levi's words, though sharp, came solemnly. "I've expected much worse consequences than what I've gotten so far, Eren. Eight years of drug abuse doesn't come without a price."

Eren swallowed hard. Levi was too right, and though he'd known it, he hated the thought of him having to deal with any type of consequence for it.

The appointment went as planned and resulted in Levi ending up with three more bottles of pills - one to help digestion, a blood-thinner to get rid of several minor clots they found, and the last for a lung disease commonly found in smokers. None of it was fatal, but to Eren it seemed everything seemed to be adding up more and more. He was afraid of what Levi's limit was and how close he might be to it.

Presently, the two were in the shop on a rainy evening - Eren working on something on the computer for Reiner and Levi in his corner concentrating on a commission. Reiner himself was pulling his coat on, getting ready to depart.

"Alright guys, don't work too hard. And don't forget to lock up. I'm outta here."

Levi didn't so much as look up while Eren said a "see ya" without taking his eyes from the screen. With a chuckle, Reiner left, leaving the shop virtually silent for a while. Eventually, Levi couldn't take the ringing in his ears any longer and went over to the stereo, inserted a CD, and pressed play, essentially drowning out the sound of the rain outside. Halfway through the first song, Eren decided his eyes burned too badly to continue staring at a screen, so he saved his work and shut the computer off to join Levi at his work station. By the third song, he noticed the order to be eerily familiar.

"Is this...the CD I gave you?"

The raven nodded. He was absently mouthing the words while he worked on shading the exquisitely detailed wolf's head he'd drawn on the page, adding even more details and bringing it to life. Eren leaned over and rested his chin on the edge of the desk, an involuntary smile playing on his lips. He didn't watch Levi's expert fingers so much as he kept his eyes on the artist's face. He had the words to the song exact and he seemed in a milder version of that reverie he went into while tattooing. Eventually, he snapped out of it and blinked at Eren.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing."

He cocked a brow. "Sure."

"Really. Don't let me stop you."

"It's hard to concentrate when you're staring at me like that."

"It's hard not to."

"Tch...please." He needlessly sharpened the pencil in his hand as an excuse to look away.

Eren's smile widened. "How much longer do you plan on working tonight?"

"I want to finish this."

"You shouldn't push yourself, you know."

Gray eyes rolled. "Drawing really isn't that exhausting."

"Still."

"You worry too much, brat." He went back to work as Eren watched intently through the next several songs. He sang along in his head, knowing each of them as well as Levi seemed to.

"I see you've been listening to this a lot," he commented.

"Of course I have. It was a gift. Now shh, this song is my favorite."

About halfway through said song, Levi's pencil slowed and eventually stopped to slip from his fingers. His eyes seemed to go out of focus and he stopped following the lyrics.

"What's wrong?" Eren asked, lifting his head.

"I think you're right. I should stop working for the night."

"Okay. Do you wanna go home?"

Levi met his gaze. "No...not yet." He reached for Eren's hands. "Would you mind..." He gulped, unsure.

"Would I mind...?"

His eyes then dropped. "Would you mind singing for me?" he asked quietly.

"You really don't think I sound like shit?" asked Eren.

"If I did, I wouldn't ask you," responded the raven seriously, lacing his fingers through Eren's.

"Okay," said Eren. "But then you have to sing for me, too."

"What?" Levi's head snapped up, eyes wide with surprise. "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope. It's only fair."

"Eren..."

"What?"

"I don't think you want to hear me sing."

"And why not?"

"Because I actually do suck."

"Be fair, Levi. I don't think you do."

Thin brows lifted. "Because you haven't heard it. When you do, you'll probably wanna break up with me."

Eren snorted. "That's ridiculous. I just wanna hear you once, and then you never have to do it again."

"And if I suck, will you say so?"

"Would you want me to?"

"Yes. Wait, no. Fuck, I don't know."

Eren laughed. "So will you do it?"

Levi stopped to consider it a minute. Deciding he wanted to hear Eren more than he didn't want to sing himself, he nodded. Eren stood and went to connect his phone to the Bluetooth on the stereo. He had a particular song in mind to sing, yet another than reminded him of his raven-haired lover that hadn't made it onto the CD.

Smiling, he went back to the man and tugged at his hand. "Come on," he coaxed.

Levi stumbled out of his chair and followed Eren to the center of the shop. "What are you doing?"

"Dance with me," said Eren.

"Wh-what? Eren-"

"Don't worry, it's not like I'm gonna make you tango or anything," he said. He took Levi gently by the wrists and moved his arms around his neck. The flush in Levi's face was becoming more and more apparent, especially as Eren slowly slid his arms around the artist's slender waist, careful to never break his gaze.

"First you want me to sing, and now you want me to dance."

"Yup."

"Remember that time I called you crazy?"

"Which time?"

"Yes. And I think you're even loonier than I thought back then."

"Maybe I am, but you're just as insane if you love me."

"Guess so. Now are you going to sing or what?"

Eren reached over and tapped play on his phone. As the first notes of the song began, he started to move in small circles. It wasn't nearly a dancing song, but that didn't much matter. As the lyrics began, he rested his head against Levi's and shut his eyes, singing along softly.

"You say things with your mouth, cobwebs and flies come out; I hear a second voice behind your tongue somehow."

Levi was immediately captivated by Eren's smooth voice, hitting every note exact with the singer's in a smooth harmony. He focused on the vibrations he could feel through Eren's chest, pressed lightly against his own. They continued to move in circles around the floor to the beat of the music.

"They will not take you down, they will not cast you out."

Levi's fingers tightened into fists at those lyrics and he never let his eyes fall from Eren's face. He didn't so much as blink, and could feel the words in his soul just as the other times Eren had sung to him.

"I'll pray that one day you see the only difference between life and dying is one is trying, that's all we're gonna do, so try to love me and I'll try to save you."

"Won't you stay alive? I'll take you on a ride; I will make you believe you are lovely."

Eren's eyes opened as he sang the next part.

"Your redemption won't grow stale; we are now just setting sail on the seas of what we fear; treason now is growing near to me..."

The song carried out and came to a smooth end, as well as their little circular motion around the middle of the floor. Levi couldn't help but lift his head and press his lips to Eren's, lightly moving up onto his toes to better reach him, holding him tighter and pressing closer. Eren felt so warm and so safe yet so dangerous and new at the same time. He'd never let himself get so close to anyone or let anyone touch him the way he let Eren, let alone so intimately and affectionately. Love wasn't something he ever really understood. Not this kind of love, not this vigorous. It was a warm comforting glow as well as a white-hot fire. He needed Eren more than he'd ever needed anything in his life. More than his drug or food or even oxygen. And tentatively, he let Eren know that solely through the way he kissed him. Their nerves were alight with a kind of passion foreign to both of them, foreign but exciting and addicting. Levi let himself test the waters, gently slipping his tongue between Eren's lips and letting himself explore. This felt like the most natural thing in the world as Eren responded just as passionately, kissing back tenderly. Warmth pooled in his stomach and built up until it was filling him up entirely and when they finally pulled apart, it was with much reluctance and due to lack of oxygen, especially to Levi's poor diseased lungs.

No words were said, but Eren's phone continued to play. The rain had picked up with the occasional crack of thunder; though at the same volume, the music seemed to have faded to the background.

"How did I let myself fall for such a brat?" Levi breathed, eyes still closed.

"The same reason why I let myself fall for such an old man," joked Eren.

Levi kicked Eren in the shin just hard enough for him to grumble an "ow".

"I'm not old," he grumbled.

"You didn't have to kick me," Eren complained.

"Knee-jerk reaction. Sorry."

"Hmph. Well, it's your turn to sing."

Levi immediately tensed and pulled back from Eren a bit without letting go of him. "You were serious about that?"

"Of course I was." Eren gave him a dopey grin he couldn't help but find adorable as he moved back to the stereo to pause his playlist.

"I think you're going to regret this..." Levi said, crossing his arms.

"Stop trying to wiggle your way out of it." Eren's smile never faltered, nor did Levi's scowl. "You're cute when you pout like that," said the younger.

"I am not cute, and I'm not pouting."

Eren chuckled. "Come pick a song."

Just like that, Levi's demeanor changed and his arms uncrossed. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and shifted uncomfortably. "Eren..." he mumbled.

Said brunet's smile faltered and faded away completely. "You said you would if I did."

"I know, but..."

"I won't make you if you really don't want to," Eren said, though his voice was thick with disappointment. His lip even protruded a bit as he started to reach for the power button on the stereo. "Let's just go home, then."

Levi caught his hand just in time before his finger hit the button. "I'll do it," he said. "Just promise not to laugh."

"Why in the world would I laugh?"

"I already told you why." Levi worked on switching the input back to the CD, disconnecting the Bluetooth and handing Eren's phone back to him. He skipped ahead to track fourteen on the disc and tapped play. Though the song started out with words immediately, he did not start singing. Instead, he took Eren by the hand and moved back to the center of the room, trying to breathe deeply and calm his nerves.

"Do I really have to do this?" he mumbled, pulling Eren's forehead back down to his own and shutting his eyes.

"I said you don't."

"But you want me to." Eren said nothing. "Would it make you happy?"

"Yeah."

Levi drew in a deep, shaky breath. He was already following the song in his head and trying to build up the guts to begin aloud. It was only Eren and he'd already promised not to laugh, even in different words. He figured he didn't have much to lose...

"I wanna hide the truth, I wanna shelter you, but with the beast inside, there's nowhere we can hide."

Levi absolutely detested the scratchiness of his voice in contrast to the song itself and immediately had the urge to stop, to shut himself up before he ruined it completely. He managed to hit the notes, but that did nothing to make up for his vocal quality.

Eren, on the other hand, was immediately soaked into Levi's unique rasp. It was unlike anything he'd ever heard before and he found himself holding Levi tighter, wanting him to sing louder. The sound had his body reacting in new ways, and his smile gently returned.

"This is my kingdom come..."

Once reached the chorus, Levi's nerves began to take over again and his voice broke out of tune, causing him to immediately cut off and clench his teeth, ready to apologize. Before he could, though, he felt warm fingers on his cheek and Eren's smooth voice join in.

"When you feel my heat, look into my eyes..."

Look Levi did, his eyes snapping open to meet Eren's bright, oceanic ones. He nodded in encouragement, urging the raven to continue. Going against his better judgment and want to curl up in a ball and disappear, he did.

"Don't get too close, it's dark inside..."

In some weird way, their voices seemed to melt together, blending in a unique, indescribable harmony. It wasn't near perfect, but that mattered not. In that moment, they were so in tune with each other, bound by the music and the lyrics. It felt incredible.

As the second verse came in, Eren faded out leaving Levi to solo in what he could only think to be brokenly. Still he pushed on, taking Eren's face gently between his palms.

"Don't wanna let you down, but I am hell bound. Oh, this is all for you, don't wanna hide the truth..."

Eren joined back in for the second chorus and Levi could feel the beginnings of tears pricking at his eyes.

When his favorite line came, he was left in a solo again. He fought against his aching lungs to sing it with all his might.

"Your eyes, they shine so bright, I wanna save that light. I can't escape this now, unless you show me how."

They finished the song together, both of their hands ending up twined together at their sides. When the last note sounded, Levi shut his eyes once more, feeling refreshed yet still braced himself for whatever was about to come.

No words were said. One pair of arms wrapped around the other's body, a nose buried in raven locks, the other nose buried in a clothed shoulder with fingers clinging to a ribcage.

"So are you deaf now?" Levi asked eventually.

Before Eren could chuckle his answer, a loud clap of thunder sounded right over their heads and they flinched. The lights flickered and the rain picked up.

"I think I am now," Eren said, sticking his pinkie in one ear and scratching. "But not because of your singing."

With a glance out the front windows, Levi said, "We should probably get going before a tornado hits or someshit..."

"Yeah..."

Quickly, the two worked on shutting the shop down, grabbing their own coats and counting to three to rush out into the downpour. They sloshed across the wet sidewalk to Eren's car and hopped in just before another clap of thunder hit in time with the flash of lightning, this one louder than the last and rattling the ground. Eren shuddered as he twisted the ignition. The storm was clearly right above them as they drove back to the apartment, the windshield wipers on full speed and the headlights on their brightest setting. The stairwell on the building wasn't in the greatest shape and therefore had leaks in multiple places. They jogged up as quickly as possible, almost completely soaked. Eren was halfway done kicking his shoes off when it thundered again. Being on the third floor was even less comforting and he nearly crumpled to the ground.

"Eren? What's the matter?"

"N-nothing. The...the rain is just cold. I'm f-" Lightning lit up the apartment in time with another large boom and Eren's teeth came down on his tongue.

Levi's face relaxed into complete understanding. "You're astraphobic."

"Wh-what?"

The raven rolled his eyes. "You're afraid of thunder," he clarified.

"Well...yeah. Kind of a lot, actually..."

"Brat. Come on," Levi said, taking his hand and leading him toward the bedroom. He pulled a couple towels from the linen closet in the hall and tossed one to Eren, using the other to rub swiftly through his hair. Eren tried the same, but the thunder was incessant and he ended up in a pile of nerves between the dresser and the bed. He could feel his anxiety skyrocketing and this time he was almost certain he couldn't hold back the panic attack, not with the constant booming over his head, shaking the entire building.

Levi had just sunk to his knees next to him when his phone started ringing. Shakily, he pulled it out of his pocket and checked the caller ID. It was his mom.

"Mom," he mumbled into the receiver.

"Eren, honey, are you okay?"

"I don't...I don't think so..."

"Shh, darling. Breathe." She could easily tell he was freaking out.

But he couldn't. His breath started to hitch and his muscles tensed involuntarily. More thunder, and he became too tense to hold onto the device any longer. Levi fumbled for it.

"Carla?"

"Levi? Is Eren alright?"

"Uh, no...no, not really."

He had his face buried in the towel and he was shaking incessantly. His breathing was out of control.

"He must be having a panic attack. Are you two safe?"

"Yes. We're in my apartment. But Eren's afraid of the thunder...I don't know what to do..."

"Try and keep him as calm as you can. Rub his back and remind him to breathe. Make sure he doesn't start to hyperventilate, or..."

That was when the line started to cut out and Levi only heard bits and pieces of Carla's words, none of which made any sense. He decided it was fruitless try and get a good signal and tossed the phone up onto the bed. Eren was more important, so he took what little he could understand of Carla's words and put them to use. He gathered Eren to his chest, rubbing small circles into his back the way the younger had done for him so many times and gently rocked him back and forth.

"Breathe, Eren," he said. He pried the towel from Eren's fingers, which instead found a home on Levi's ribs. The raven flinched in mild pain from the pressure but never ceased his reassurances.

"Eren, please, you have to breathe. Concentrate."

His breath sounded more liked choked hiccups at that point. Somewhere in there, he managed to mutter a "trying..."

Levi only held him tighter, rubbing his back and stroking his hair. Outside the storm seemed to be raging. Every time a new crack of thunder sounded, Eren flinched.

"Breathe, love," Levi murmured over and over, rocking him back and forth. "You're safe. Shh..."

And ever so slowly, Eren's shaking depleted to a minimum and his breathing became more controlled. The storm was clearly moving, with flashes and claps being less frequent and the rain letting up ever so slightly. By then, Eren's face was flushed and tear-streaked, his clothes wrinkled and crooked, hair completely messy.

"S-sorry," he mumbled rubbing his nose. "I forgot it could get that bad..."

"No apologies needed." Levi worked on smoothing his hair. "I wish I'd known you're so damn petrified of lightning storms."

The brunet shrugged. "Not your fault."

"Are you okay now?" Eren nodded. "Then get up. You need to get out of those wet clothes."

They worked on standing and Eren pulled his jacket off. The water had soaked all the way through his shirt, causing it to stick to his torso. Levi retrieved some pajamas from his stash of things and tossed them over. Eren disappeared into the bathroom to change while Levi did the same in the room. The usual end of the day exhaustion finally started settling in and he felt like he could melt into a puddle on the floor himself, though for a different reason. Still, he forced himself to stay awake long enough for Eren to get back, sitting cross-legged with the dragon on his lap. Eventually, Eren did appear in the doorway again looking much better than he had when he left.

"Do...do you want me to stay?" he asked as usual, though his voice was shakier, more nervous somehow.

"You're an idiot," said Levi. "Come here."

Eren shuffled into the room and crawled over to Levi, who took his hand. "Are you really okay?" he inquired, frowning.

"Yeah. Sorry you had to see me like that. Pretty gross, huh?"

"Please, Eren. You've seen me at a lot worse than that."

"Still. It's...different."

"Hardly."

Eren shrugged. His hands were still trembling and he continued to flinch at the distant thunder. Levi had never seen him so shaken up and weakened. This anxiety attack had taken a lot out of him, including some of the vibrant luster from his eyes. And Levi hated it. Hated that as strong as Eren was, as pure and beautiful as he was, that some stupid mental disorder could bring him down like that. He couldn't imagine how it must've been a decade ago or less, after he lost his father. Levi absolutely wanted to be able to reach inside of Eren and yank it out, even if it meant burdening it on himself.

"I'm glad you like this," he said, patting the top of the dragon's head, a small flicker of his usual self already finding its way back into his demeanor.

That's my Eren, thought the raven.

"I think I finally thought of a name for her," he said.

"Her?"

"Mhm."

"What would that be?"

"Akane."

The brunet blinked at him stupidly. "What the heck does that mean?"

"Deep red," explained Levi. "And who says 'heck' anymore?"

"Me. It sounds...kinda...Japanese?"

"It is."

"How did you think of that? Are you Japanese or something?"

"As a matter of fact, I am. Only a quarter, though."

Eren's brows raised. This was news to him. He studied Levi's face, looking to pick out any Asian features but other than the dark hair, essentially found none.

"Was your dad Japanese?"

Levi snorted. "Hell no. No idea what he was," he muttered. "Nor do I really care."

"So then your mom...?"

The artist's features softened a bit and he stared at Akane's left eye. "She was half Japanese."

"So that means Alex, too..."

"Yes, Eren." Levi snapped in front of the brunet's face. "The lights are on but I get the feeling nobody's really home."

Eren half-laughed. "Yeah, sorry."

"Well I'm effing exhausted, too. So let's sleep."

They nestled themselves beneath the covers. Levi pulled Eren into his arms, letting his head rest on his shoulder and situating Akane comfortably among them before reaching over and switching off the light.

"Hey, Levi?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask what your mom's name was?"

Levi couldn't help but be surprised by the question and hesitated for a minute. Finally, he gave in and told him.

"Shiori."

"Hmm..." Eren yawned. "By the way, Levi? I like your voice."

"I think you're overtired."

"Why?"

"Because you're starting to say ridiculous things."

"Shut up. I'm serious. I like it."

"You're crazy."

"Just accept the compliment."

"Tch."

"Levi."

"Fine. Thank you."

Eren chuckled and felt lips in his hair. "Love you."

"Love you more, my little brat."

---

Disclaimer: This chapter was written before the manga revealed things about Levi's mom, which is why her name is different. (And I just like the idea of Levi being Japanese idk.)

Also, the song Eren sang was originally something different, but then I discovered Twenty One Pilots and the song Lovely and it just fit the story way better, even if it doesn't quite fit the scene in the chapter. So sorry if that feels a little awkward, I just prefer it.

But this chapter is a mess, just like me lmao.